Dispensing container



A. J. CALLAGHAN er AL 2,205,082

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed may 1e, 193s Lawrence ,J7 fr/Z @f Aj/ MU??? Patented June 18, 1940 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE McCarthy, Maywood,

to Sears, Roebuck a corporation of New Ill., assignors of one-half nd Co., Chicago, Ill., a York, and one-half to American Oil t Grease Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Michigan Application May 16,` 1938, Serial No. 208,166

7 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of our copending Serial No. 133,562, led March 29, 1937, since changed to the sole application of Lawrence J. McCarthy, and the portion. of the original subject matter thereof which is included in the instant application having since been withdrawn consistent with said change.

This invention relates to cartridges and more particularly tothose for dispensing grease and other flowable material.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cartridge equipped so as to be readily convertible into a dispenser without additional means.

Another object is to provide a package readily convertible, while holding its contents, into a dispenser without additional means.

It is also an object to provide a package readily convertible into a dispenser in a manner to preclude or discourage reuse of the package for shipment or sale.

A further object is to provide a package convertible into a grease gun type of dispenser and so constructed as to enclose the nozzle of the gun before conversion.

35 It is a further object to provide a cartridge for lubricant or the like with means enclosed therein in shipment of the cartridge and readily adapted to be formed into a piston and nozzle for dispensing the contents of the cartridge.

A further object is to provide a dispenser which is operative only as to its original contents.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a dispensing container constructed in accordance with one form of the invention, prior to its conversion into a dispenser.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the structure of Fig. 1, converted into a dispenser.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but of another type of snap connection.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 3. v

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, but relate to another type of snap connection, Fig. 5 being taken as indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. Ll, and Fig. 6 being taken as indicated by the line E-G in Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, but relate to still another type of snap connection, Fig. 8 being taken as indicated by the line 8--8 in Fig. '7.

Referring now more particularly to the draw- IlA ings, a device embodying the invention. is shown (Cl. 22d- 78) in Fig. 1. This device is constructed ready for sale as an original package or cartridge containing grease or other ilowable or plastic material,

as follows. We provide a tube I having, a bottom flange 2 and struck-out tangs 3 thereabove, .'5- and telescopically assemble with the tube a plate or disc 4 provided with a reenforcing rib 5 and having a snug sliding t therewith. An annular gasket 6 is arranged below the disc ll to serve as a wiper for the tube when the latter is drawn out 1'0 and to seal against leakage of the contents when under compression. The top of the tube may be made blunt as by the flange l and has opposed apertures 8 into which a hook or wire may be inserted for pulling out the tube and into which a il nail 9 or the like may be inserted, when the tube is in the position of Fig. 2, to serve as a shoulder or stop for the tube when the latter is pressed against a grease opening' I0 in the vessel II as shown in dotted lines. The tube is provided with 20 an annular gasket I2, angular in cross-section, one part underlying the flange 2 and the! other part disposed inside the tube I to seal the openings formed when the tangs 3 are struck out.

Any suitable cup-shaped can body may be pro- 25 vided. It may comprise a wall i3 whose interior surface I4 is adapted to have a wiping sliding tele; scopic t with the outer edge of the disc 4, and a base or bottom I5, lled with grease or other preferably flowable substance I6 to a level adjacent 30 the top of the body. The tube is now inserted into the body until the tube flange 2 comes to rest on the base I5 and the disc rests on the top of the substance I6, the top of the tube projecting above the disc. A top or cover I'I, having a threaded 35 neck I8, is then permanently secured to the upper end of the wall I3, and a removable closure cap I9, having a gasket 20 and threaded over the neck, completes the package. It will be observed that the top of the tube is disposed so that it will not 40 interfere with the sealing engagement of the cap gasket.

The consumer desiring to dispense the contents of the package merely removes the cap, grips the interior of the tube with one or more fingers, or 45 hooks a wire, nail or other suitable implement under the flange 'I or in one of the apertures 8, and pulls the tube up through the plate 4, the gasket 6 wiping the outer surface of the tube. The tube is pulled out until the tangs 3 snap past 5,0 the plate and permanently secure the plate to the tube between the tangs and the ange 2. Now we have a gun of which the can is the cylinder, the plate 4 is the piston, and the tube I is at once the piston rod and an outlet nozzle.

'Ihe mouth or top of the tube may be constructed to have a fluid tight engagement or connection with any type of lubricant fitting on automobiles and other installations.

In dispensing the contents of the cartridge, it is necessary merely that the plate approach 'the can base I5. This may be done in any manner readily apparent to the user, as by grasping the can body and tube and forcing the tube into the body, the tube forming a convenient handle for this purpose. In case the contents are to be shot into a fitting, the mouth of the tube may be engaged with the tting or suitably Aconnected thereto and the can body pushed. The tangs 3 preferably are projected no more than is necessary to secure the plate. The prevention of leakage through the tube is attained by means of the gasket I2, and the wiper gasket 6 maintains the outside of the tube I clean as it is drawn out before the tube and plate are interlocked and prevents leakage of the substance to the outside of the tube after the tube and plate are interlocked and while the substance is under pressure.

After any portion of the contents is dispensed, the piston remains at the level oi the contents left in the can,'as shown in Fig. 2, ready for further dispensing without adjustment. It will be observed that the dispenser cannot be relled and used for a second charge, because the tube and plate are now inseparable. That is, assuming the original charge of grease or the like to have been dispensed, a second charge might be forced into the can through the tube I, the latter being held in raised position to accommodate the charge between the can bottom and the piston 'i. Now it is obvious that, under such circumstances, the tube must project from the can to such an extent as to prevent securement of the cap I9. Thus it is evident that the can cannot be reused as an original package for shipment or sale. This is a great advantage as a deterrent to unfair and fraudulent practice such as the sale by the unscrupulous of spurious goods in a package which by trade-mark or other device identies the original producer or seller of the package.

If desired, the tube I may be calibrated to serve as a gage stick so that the user may know how much material has been dispensed. Thus, markings G may be stamped or otherwise applied to the tube, such markings being read with, say, the top edge of the neck I8 as a datum point to indicate when any given proportion of the contents has been used.

Metal, pasteboard, ber and /or other suitable material may be used in the construction of the parts. The connection at the neck I8 could be other than threaded if desired. The body wall I3 may be of round, oval, rectangular or other shape in cross-section, and when the term ,'cylinder is used herein, it is to be understood as not limited to round body shapes.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the tube 93 is imperforate at the attaching portion thereof but is formed with any suitable number of recesses 95 adjacent the base flange 9G thereof, and in these recesses tongues 97 are spot welded as at 98 or otherwise secured, so as to be sprung in by the inner peripheral edge of the piston 99. With this construction the gasket I2 of Figs. 1 and 2 is not needed. A gasket 910u carried by the piston 99 wipes the tube and seals the juncture of the tube and piston. The operation of joining the piston and the tube is the same as with the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modication embodying features of Figs. 1, '2, 3 and 4, i. e., with separate tongues |00 spot welded as at I0| or otherwise suitably secured within the tube |02 and projecting through holes |03 adjacent the tube flange |04. A gasket I2 similar to that of Figs. l and 2 may be employed to guard against leakage through the openings |03, and a gasket |05 secured to the piston |06 wipes the tube |02 and seals the juncture between the tube and the piston.

In Figs. 7 and 8, preferably resilient retaining tangs |08 are spot welded as at |09 or otherwise suitably secured to the piston |I0 and extend toward the tube III. The tube is exteriorly recessed as at I2 to accommodate the correspondingly formed inner ends ||3 of the tangs. The piston |I0 carries a gasket I|4 adapted to wipe the tube and engage the tube flange I I5. One or any number of recesses and tangs may be provided. The dotted lines show the relative positions of the tangs and the recesses before the connection is eifected. As the tube is withdrawn further, the tangs snap into the recesses and will not become accidentally dislodged, the gasket I4 serving to wipe the tube and seal the juncture of the tube and piston. Now when the tube is forced inward in the process of dispensing, the tangs will transmit the force to the piston. The tang means acts moreover to press the tube ange ||5 into sealing engagement with the gasket 4.

Any type of joint, piston, tube, closure and top construction disclosed or within the spirit of the invention may be employed with any of the others, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is evident from the foregoing that we have provided in various forms an extremely simple, sturdy, inexpensive, compact knockdown dispensing cartridge for fluids including those oi a grease-like character. The term grease is used herein to connote any uid material of similar ow characteristics.

We are aware that reversals of parts may be resorted to and other changes may be made and details of construction varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of our invention, and we therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

We claim:

1. A compact non-refillable shipping cartridge comprising a container of fluid such as grease and having an opening and a closure therefor, an annular plate over the grease, a tube enclosed by the container and surrounded by the y' plate and adapted to be pulled outward through the opening when the closure is removed, and means arranged on the plate and tube so as permanently to interlock them to form a pistonand-piston-rod unit when the tube is so pulled, forming a grease gun.

2. A dispensing cartridge comprising a container of fluid such as grease and having an opening and a closure therefor, a tube enclosed in the container, a piston in the container and unconnected to the tube, means operative when the closure is removed automatically to unite the tube and piston in response to pulling the tube outwardly through the opening, the tube when so united being adapted to project beyond the opening a distance substantially equal to the maximum travel of the piston.

3. A dispensing cartridge comprising a container of iluid such as grease and having an opening and a closure therefor, a tube in the con- `tainer and of a length substantially equal to that of the container and terminating at said opening, a plate in the container and about the tube andv having a wiping t with both, and snap fastener means on one of the plate and tube and arranged to become connected with the other when the tube is pulled outward through the opening to form a gun.

4t. The combination with a cartridge of iiuid such as grease and having an opening and a closure therefor, of a plate in the cartridge and over the fluidy said plate having an opening alined with the cartridge opening, and atube in both openings, said tube and plate having means inseparably interlockable when the tube is pulled outwardly through the cartridge opening to form a pistona.ndpistonrod unit adapted to be pressed against the uid and force it through the tube, said unit being of such length that the tube, when interlocked with said plate always projects from the cartridge while the cartridge contains fluid to be dispensed.

5. A dispensing cartridge comprising a container having side and end closure walls and an opening with a closur-e therefor, a tube in the container and of a length approximately equal to that of the container and terminating adjacent said opening, a piston plate in said container, the tube extending through said plate and having a wiping lit therewith, said tube having a retaining member adjacent one end and resilient struckout members spaced a slight distance therefrom, whereby said struck-out members may be drawn through the plate and the latter locked. between them and said retaining member, and means for sealing the openings formed in the tube by the striking out of said struck-out members.

6. A dispensing cartridge comprising a container having side and end closure walls and an opening with a closure therefor, a tube element in said container, a piston element in said container, said tube element extending through said piston element and having a wiping t therewith, said tube element having a retaining member adjacent one end, and resilient retaining means connected toy oneof said elements and spaced from said member, said tube element being recessed to receive said means as said tube element is drawn through said piston element, said piston element being thereupon locked between said means and said member.

7. A dispensing cartridge comprising a container having side and end closure Walls and an opening with a closure therefor, a tube element in said container, a piston element in said container, said tube element extending through said piston element and having a wiping fit therewith, said tube element having a retaining member adjacent one end, and self-acting retaining means connected to one of said elements and cooperating with said elements in locking said piston element between said means and said member when said member is substantially engaged with said piston element.

ANDREW J. CALLAGHAN. LAWRENCE J. MCCARTHY. 

